The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-25
CONVICT COMPETITION.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMITS
SIONER OF LABOR.

The Prison Population of the Country
o4, ,34o-Ten Men in Stripes to Every
Woman in Similar Garb-45,2 5,277 o
the Prisoners Engaged in Productive
Labor.
WASHINGTON, July 24-The Commits
sioner of Labor has just received from TIN
Public Printer advance copies of his repor'
on the convict labor in the United States
The total number of prisoners of all grades,
employed in the institutions comprehendet
in the report is 64 $40 the males numbering
5S,4 454 and the females 5,S95. OF this tota
number, 1921 are engaged in productive
labor of some kind, 1900 are engaged il
prison duties and 3,9T2 are sick or idle o.
the total number, IA, ,S27 are employed undeI
the public account system, Is, $40 under th
contract system, 5,676 under the piece prics
system, and 8, 104 under the lease system
NEW YORK AHEAD.
The State having the largest number o.
convicts in the institutions considered b
New York, its total being 9,703. Includet
in these computations are ,240 prisoners oi
the United States, sentenced to the diff
ferent penal institutions of the seyera
States and Territories. The prison pnpula
tian of the classes of institutions treated o!
is as stated, "a, $40, a proportion of the pop
ulation of the United States, as at present
estimated of one in $50; but the proportion
of those engaged in mechanical, afYl0dl
tural and mining pursuits in the the Whols
country II about one convict to every 3W
persons employed
WHAT THEY PRODUCED.
The total value of the goods made and tn,
work done by productive labor in the sever
al institutions of the whole country is $2S,
753, 900. 1t took 1921 convicts one year to
produce this total value 1t would have
taken 30, ,534 free laborers to produce til,
same quantity of goods in the same time, or
in other words, free laborer is equal t
l.27 convict, or, TO reverse the statement
one convict is equal to rs of free laborer
The number of free laborers necessary to
perform the same labor has been figured
from the estimates of prison officials and
others familiar with the work.
THE PRODUCT BY STATES.
The State producing the largest amoun
of convict-made goods is New York, the
value there being 81, ,236, ,267 worth of con.
vict-made goods Indiana comes next with
product of the value of $l,570,901, while
Ohio stands next with product Of the value
of S1,36S, l22 Then comes Missouri with
81, ,342 020, then Pennsylvania with
Sl,317,265, Kansas with $1,270,575
Tennessee with only 81, 142, 900, then Michi
gan with 81 ,0S7, ,735, and last of the States
producing over million dollars worth, New
Jersey with 81 10l9,608. Each of the Other
States and Territories drop below the mil
lion dollar point, Dakota coming at the
bottom Of the list with product of Sl1 SIT.
OBJECTIONS TO THE SYSTEMS.
The Commi ~ioner discusses at length th,
avStpms of emploVinp cOnVictS uOyY i'm vOQtIa
In each of these serious faults are found, the
principal one being that by either of them,
convict labor is brought into direct compe
tition with free labor. The plea which finds
most favor with the Commissioner Is that Of
hard labor under the public account system.
OF this plan he says: 'It involves
the carrying on of industrie.
of prisons for the benefit
of the State but without the use of power
machinery, tools and hand machines only
being allowed, the goods to be made to con.
sist OF such articles as boots and shoes
coarse woolen and cotton cloth, needed for
the institution or for sale to other institu-
tions, harness and saddlery and many other
goods now made by machinery or not now
made at all In prisons
WOULD LESSEN THE COMPETITION.
"With such plan in vogue throughout
the United States, or in the majority of the
States, there would be no complaint as Il
the effects of convict labor upon the rates OF
wages or upon the sale of goods, either In
pfzee or III quantity. The convicts could ID
constantly employed under the direction
and supervision entirely of prison officers
None of the objections or disadvantages
arising under the contract system, or piece
price modification thereof, or under thu
public account system with power machn
cry, can be raised against this plan"